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 A Guide to Giving Between Games Talks

In the same way that a football (soccer if you must!) manager can change a match at half time by talking to his team, a coach/fellow player/friend can significantly alter the course of a squash match by what they communicate to the person playing the match, in between games. Here are a few tips if you are giving those talks. 

1.       Know your player. This one is not always possible, but the point is everyone is different, and will respond in different ways. Equally, every player has things they are good at and things they are not so good at. Advising them to do things they are not strong at could be dangerous. So a good knowledge of their strengths and weaknesses , capabilities and the way they respond to different types of communication will really help you give an effective talk. 

Some players will need almost constant reassurance that they are doing well, others cold hard facts, and others in-depth tactical analysis. Some will just want to talk and others might want “a kick up the backside.” It’s important you get the right approach for the right player. The next point (plan ahead) will help you get a grasp of what your player will respond to and if in doubt follow point three; keep it simple. 

2.       Plan ahead. It’s good to have an idea of what they will expect from you. Knowing your player will of course help, but ask them what sort of help they would like before the match starts. Also, know where you are going to meet if the club is a maze, and pick a quiet secluded place. Finally have a chat about the opponent before the match starts, and your player’s game plan. 

3.       Keep it simple. This is probably the most important piece of advice. Your player will be able to take in 1 or 2 major points and perhaps 1 other. Keep your talk down to a maximum of three things for your player to act on in the following game, and hopefully one key point. How many times have you been verbally bombarded in between games? The key piece of advice was probably in there somewhere, but can you find it through all the other clutter? 

4.       Be Calm, Confident and Assured. If you seem agitated and panicky or lacking in belief that they can win, it will not fill your charge with a sense of confidence, and they are less likely to execute your instructions. 

·         Speak slowly and clearly – your tendency might be to rattle on too quickly.

·         Have a positive but relaxed body language.

·         Hide any doubts you might have about the outcome! 

Occasionally, you might find a player that will respond to, and needs, a “kick up the backside”, but be careful because most players won’t respond well to this sort of help! 

5.       Prioritise your points. With tip 3 in mind, you only have 1-3 points to get across to make a difference. You therefore need to make sure that the points you get across are the ones that will make a big difference. It might be, play more on the backhand side, or be patient before going short. Don’t focus on things past, such as ref decisions, or mistakes made. Focus more on key specific points to execute in the following game. 

6.       Listen. This applies to some players more than others, but by and large, they will have some stuff they want to get off their chest. It’s a good chance to see what frame of mind they are in and what they are capable of doing. Often they will know exactly what they need to do the following game, and you can simply listen, agree and reassure.  “How do you feel its going?”, “How are you feeling?”, “What do you think you need to change?” are all types of question to which you might get very full responses. It might also be a good starting point for your talk.

7.       Don’t change a winning formula. This usually holds true. Unless you feel your player is badly underperforming, or their opponent has worked out how to beat them, there’s no need to make any huge changes. Keep it simple, and suggest minor areas to focus on if you feel necessary. 

8.       They are tired too! This one’s a bit simplistic, but I’ve found very effective! Players, when they are starting to feel fatigued, will focus on their own tiredness and will start to doubt their ability to push through for a win. By simply pointing out that their opponent is looking tired (perhaps more tired than they are) it will give your player renewed confidence, to push through any fatigue they are feeling. 

As with everything, it takes some practice, but if you follow the above tips it’s definitely a skill that can be improved. What you say and do will directly affect the result of the match, so treat it seriously, concentrate and hopefully then you could help turn some losses into wins.

Steve Townsend, March 2009.